Tsitsipas ends Musetti’s run, sets up Acapulco final against Zverev
Stefanos Tsitsipas sprinted past Lorenzo Musetti in straight sets on Friday night in Acapulco and will play Alexander Zverev in the final
Tennis – ATP 500 – Mexican Open – The Fairmont Acapulco Princess, Acapulco, Mexico – March 17, 2021 Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas celebrates after winning his second round match against John Isner of the U.S.
Top seed Stefanos Tsitsipas ended the dream week of Lorenzo Musetti at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel with a 6-1, 6-3 victory in Friday’s semi-final nightcap. Tsitsipas struck more than twice as many winners (23) as errors (11) while getting the job done in one hour and 19 minutes.
The Greek has dropped only one set this week, to Felix Auger-Alassime in the quarter-finals. He also posted routine wins over Benoit Paire and John Isner.
Focus + 🔥 = FINAL @steftsitsipas conquers young gun Lorenzo Musetti to reach the final on his Acapulco debut, 6-1 6-3. #AMT2021 pic.twitter.com/tM0WPFvBvR
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) March 20, 2021
“Matches like this are really important and I’m happy to be playing the game that I’ve been playing so far this week,” Tsitsipas said. “Acapulco has been treating me well. I’ve been performing at my peak in every single match.
“We’re going to see a lot from [Musetti] in the future. I really like his game. He is an all-around player with lots of talent. He has plenty of potential and he showed it this week, and in many other weeks in the past.”
Tsitsipas off to the races
Having already played six matches in Acapulco (three in qualifying), many of them energy-sapping, Musetti was flat at the beginning of the match. The 19-year-old even took a medical timeout for an apparent abdominal problem. His struggles combined with Tsitsipas’ stellar form resulted in a 6-1 opener.
Musetti, who earned his first-ever top-10 win over Diego Schwartzman in the opening round, found his level early in the second to hold his first three service games. However, it was all but over when Tsitsipas broke for 4-3. Another break at 5-3 ended the proceedings in style. Musetti saved two match points with a pair of winners before the world No 5 converted his third chance.
Zverev next for Tsitsipas
It will be the No 1 v No 2 seed in Saturday’s showpiece final, as Alexander Zverev preceded Tsitsipas in the winners’ circle on Friday. Zverev won his semi-final against Dominik Koepfer 6-4, 7-6(5) in two hours and nine minutes.
Tsitsipas dominates the head-to-head series 5-1 and has won five in a row against Zverev since losing their first encounter three years ago in Washington, D.C. They most recently faced each other at the 2020 ATP Cup, where the Greek cruised 6-1, 6-4.
“Matches like him are never easy so I’ll take it game by game,” Tsitsipas concluded.
